CABINET WEDNESDAY, 13 SEPTEMBER 2017

DECISIONS

PRESENT: Councillor Nunn (Chair); Councillor Larratt (Deputy Chair); Councillors Hadland, Hibbert, King and Eldred.

Set out below is a summary of the decisions taken at the meeting of the Cabinet held on Wednesday, 13 September 2017. The wording used does not necessarily reflect the actual wording that will appear in the minutes.

These decisions will come into force and then may be implemented on the expiry of three working days after the publication of this list.

If you have any queries about any matters referred to in this decision sheet please contact Emma Powley.

| THIS LIST OF DECISIONS | 14th September 2017 | |------------------------|---------------------| | PUBLISHED: | | | DATE OF EXPIRY OF CALL IN: | 19th September 2017 AT 17:00 HOURS |

Agenda Item No | Declaration/Conflict of Interests: | --- | --- | None

7. PUBLIC SPACE PROTECTION ORDER - MARBLE ARCH

2.1 Cabinet authorised the making of a PSPO to gate the Highway known as Marble Arch in accordance with the results of the public consultation as detailed in Appendix 1 of the report.

2.2 Cabinet approved that the PSPO goes live as soon as the gates can be installed (date dependent on contractor availability).

Agenda Item No | Declaration/Conflict of Interests: | --- | --- | None

8. BUSINESS RATES - DISCRETIONARY RATE RELIEF 2017/18

2.3 Cabinet agreed that support for small businesses losing Small Business Rate Relief, to limit increases in their bills to the greater of £600 or the transitional relief cap for small businesses, for one year from 1 April 2017. 2.4 Cabinet agreed a £1,000 business rate discount for public houses with a rateable value of up to £100,000, subject to state aid limits for businesses with multiple properties, for one year from 1 April 2017.

2.5 Cabinet agreed to support individual businesses in the local area who have large increases in their business rates bills as a result of the 2017 revaluation, by restricting the increase in a bill to a maximum of 5%, for one year from 1 April 2017. Subject to the criteria detailed in the body of the report.

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**9. NBC STREET LIGHTING**

2.6 Cabinet approved the proposed transfer of up to 607 street lights from NCC to NBC on 2 October 2017.

2.2 Cabinet approved an additional revenue budget of £70,000 per year that is included as part of setting the 2018/19 budget and to address ongoing electricity and maintenance costs.

2.3 Cabinet approved that an additional new budget of £35,000 for the 2017/2018 financial year to fund the additional costs of electricity and maintenance for the existing financial year. To be funded by underspends within the Regeneration, Enterprise & Planning Directorate at the end of the financial year or a drawdown from reserves.

2.4 Cabinet noted that further investigation would be undertaken by Officers into an invest to save programme for all NBC street lights that may lead to a further report to Cabinet in due course. An additional capital budget may need to be considered at this point as part of the Council’s overall capital programme.

2.5 Cabinet noted that Officers would continue to investigate whether it was appropriate to use the HRA to fund some of the costs of the maintenance or electricity of certain additional street lights.

2.6 Cabinet delegated authority to the Director of Regeneration, Enterprise and Planning, in consultation with the Section 151 Officer and the Deputy Leader of the Council, to conclude the transfer of the responsibility of street lights from NCC to NBC.

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**10. REVENUES AND BENEFITS JOINT COMMITTEE** 2.1.1 Cabinet noted the contents of the Agreement and terms agreed and;

2.1.2. Cabinet noted the recommended appointment of Cllr Brandon Eldred (Cabinet Member for Finance) as the Council representative on the Revenues and Benefits Joint Committee to full Council on September 18th 2017.

11. ADOPTION OF THE BIODIVERSITY SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING DOCUMENT

Cabinet adopted the Biodiversity SPD as a statutory Supplementary Planning Document.

12. NORTHAMPTON BOROUGH COUNCIL LOCAL PLAN PART 2 - EMERGING SITE OPTIONS CONSULTATION

2.7 Cabinet agreed the Northampton Local Plan (Part 2) Sites Consultation, as shown in Appendix 1 of the report, for public consultation.

2.8 Cabinet noted that the outcome of the Sites Consultation and further work would need to be considered before deciding what would go into the final plan.

2.9 Cabinet agreed the Consultation and Communications Strategy for the Sites Consultation (Appendix 3) of the report.

2.10 Cabinet noted the summary of responses to the Local Plan (Part 2) Options Paper Consultation (Appendix 2) of the report.

13. ADOPTION OF THE UPPER NENE VALLEY GRAVEL PITS SPECIAL PROTECTION AREA (SPA) SUPPLEMENTARY PLANNING DOCUMENT (SPD)

Cabinet adopted the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits SPA SPD as a statutory Supplementary Planning Document.

14. SEMILONG/ TRINITY DESIGNATION OF NEIGHBOURHOOD FORUM & NEIGHBOURHOOD AREA 2.11 Cabinet noted the analysis of representations received in response to the publicising of the Semilong and Trinity Neighbourhood Area and Neighbourhood Forum applications (Appendix 1 of the report).

2.12 Cabinet designated the Semilong and Trinity Neighbourhood Area as published in Appendix 2 of the report for the purposes of preparing a Neighbourhood Plan under Section 61G of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended).

2.13 Cabinet agreed that, following the designation of the Semilong and Trinity Neighbourhood Area, Cabinet designates Semilong and Trinity Neighbourhood Forum (Appendix 3) under Section 61F of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 for a period of five years for the purposes of producing a Neighbourhood Plan, subject to the following conditions:

- Maintaining a written constitution
- Holding an Annual General Meeting within 12 weeks of the designation
- Maintaining a minimum of 21 members drawn from each of the subsections set out within the Localism Act section 61F(5)

Cabinet Decision - Exemption from Call in

| Agenda Item No | Declaration/Conflict of Interests: | |----------------|-----------------------------------| | | None |

15. AIR QUALITY REPORT

2.1 Cabinet acknowledged the excellent work of Scrutiny Panel 4 in the production of their report Emissions Strategy (Action Plan).

2.2 Cabinet would respond to the recommendations of the Scrutiny report as outlined in the report and confirmed that the Low Emissions Strategy would be brought forward for adoption as soon as possible.

2.3 Cabinet endorsed the establishment of a multi-agency Air Quality Working Group to actively engage all stakeholders in the implementation of the Low Emissions Strategy and to develop further air quality initiatives.

2.4 Cabinet endorsed the extension of the Council’s air quality monitoring network on a risk based basis to incorporate locations such as schools and residential areas where significant numbers of sensitive receptors may be exposed to elevated concentrations of air pollution.

2.5 Cabinet, noted that the Council was legally required to take action to address recently identified exceedances of air quality objective for Nitrogen Dioxide around Northgate Bus Station and The Drapery, Abington Square and Wellingborough Road, resolved to declare appropriate air quality management areas (AQMAs).

2.6 Cabinet declared a single air quality management area which encompasses existing areas of exceedance in the town centre and newly identified areas of exceedance. As outlined in Appendix 2 of the report.

2.7 Cabinet noted that the work undertaken so far in the development of the Strategy is broadly in line with the requirements for the designation of a Non Charging Clean Air Zone as outlined in the DEFRA / DoT Clean Air Zone Framework and authorised the further development of this work with the aim of the development of a Clean Air Zone for Northampton.

| Agenda Item No | Declaration/Conflict of Interests: | |----------------|-----------------------------------| | 16. FINANCE MONITORING - PERIOD 4 | None |

Cabinet reviewed the contents of the report.

| Agenda Item No | Declaration/Conflict of Interests: | |----------------|-----------------------------------| | 17. MUSEUM EXPANSION - COMMENCEMENT OF FORMAL TENDER PROCESS TO APPOINT MAIN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTOR | None |

2.14 Cabinet approved the commencement of the formal tender process using the LGSS Procurement Framework (LGSS approved supply chain) and tenders be invited for a main construction contractor to undertake the Museum Expansion and exhibition fit-out.

2.15 Cabinet approved an exemption from the Contract Procedure Rules to appoint Creative Good Ltd to provide exhibition design services for the museum expansion project for reasons pursuant to paragraph 3.2.3 of this report.

| Agenda Item No | Declaration/Conflict of Interests: | |----------------|-----------------------------------| | 18. TEMPORARY CHANGES TO NORTHAMPTON’S HOUSING ALLOCATIONS SCHEME | None |

Cabinet approved the following temporary changes to the Housing Allocations Scheme (set out in detail in Appendix A of the report) for a fixed period of 9 months, commencing on 1 October 2017 and ending on 30 June 2018:

(a) Where the Council accepts a rehousing duty to a household whose homelessness application has taken more than 8 weeks to investigate and determine – including those households whose applications are part of the backlog of outstanding homelessness decisions – the household’s ‘priority date’ in the Emergency Band will be adjusted to a date that is 8 weeks after the date that their homelessness application was received;

(b) Where a homeless household is living in temporary accommodation and 6 weeks have elapsed since the Council has accepted a rehousing duty to them, Northampton Partnership Homes will proactively consider them for a ‘direct offer’ – based on their relative priority – and, after notifying the household, the Council and/or Northampton Partnership Homes may undertake ‘proxy bidding’, for all suitable properties, on their behalf; and

(c) Northampton Partnership Homes will set aside an average of up to 5 properties a fortnight for ‘direct offers’ to homeless households for whom the Council has accepted a housing duty.

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**Agenda Item No**

**Declaration/Conflict of Interests:**

None

19. IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE HOMELESSNESS REVIEWS SERVICE

a) Cabinet approved the outsourcing of the homelessness reviews function to a suitably qualified person or organisation on a contracted basis;

b) Cabinet delegated to the Borough Secretary, in consultation with the Chief Finance Officer and the Cabinet Member for Housing and Wellbeing, the authority to award the homelessness reviews contract for a period of 2 years with an option for a third year.

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**Agenda Item No**

**Declaration/Conflict of Interests:**

None

20. DISPOSAL OF OPEN SPACE AT LANCASTER WAY

This item was deferred.